Means for controlling motion in fluid-pressure apparatus



J. G. A. KITCHEN MEANS FOR CONTROLLING MOTION IN FLUID PRESSURE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1923 42 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 19, 1924. l 1,484,030 Jv G. A. KITCHEN MEANS FOR CONTROLLING MOTION IN FLUID PRESSURE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T12/venten a @.fllfvwlwjg Paieniea Feb. te, i924.

' 4JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN, OFLANCASTER, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING MOTION IN FLUID-PRESSURE APPARATUS.

Application led .'l'anuary 30, 1923. Serial No. 615,958.

' land Jan. 23, 1922),'of which the followmotor or engine.

. Flgure 3 1s an enlarged view of a portion lvalve shown in ing is a specification.

Tlus Vinvention relates to fluld pressure l motors or engines of the type in which the piston is movable 'in a'cylin er and is kept in equilibrium by the appl cation of pressure fluid at its opposite sides, the move-l mentof the piston being regulated by con.

trolling, by suitablev means, the location along the length of the cylinder at'which discharge fluid can take place.

The present invention comprises the improved means hereinafter described and claimed forvobtaining a more sensitive and accurate control of the position of the piston.

Referring to the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings l Figure 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating, in diagram form, a fluid pressure motor or engine constructed in one convenient form in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 1s a cross section of the discharge valve face.

Figure 4 is a cross section' illustrating a modified construction of the motor or engine.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of-a further modied construction of motor or engine and Figure 6 a cross sectional view of the same f A Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of another modified construction of motor or engine.

Figure 7a is a sectional view through the The same referegnce letters in the different views indicate the same or similar parts.

-Referring in the first place to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the iston aworksV in a cylinder b which has uid inletconnections 0, d' at its opposite ends. Each of said connections has thereon a pump e', j which draws fluid from a tank or reservoir g.

Along one side of the cylinder b isdisthrough the posed a row of closely spaced ports h. Acting` in conjunction with the latteris a rotary valve z' which is hollowed out at j' and has on itsI periphery a single helical groove k. The latter communicates with the discharge pipe m leading to the reservoir g by way of the ports n. The valve i may be turned yby any convenient means such as by the arm o upon the Valve spindle p. The piston a 1s carried by a piston rod g which .has a .longitudinal but no rotary movement.

The piston a is provided with recesses r (see-Figures 1 and 3) in its opposite sides which serve to bridge the division piece between the ports h and so provide for a continuous movement ofthe piston or for its lmotion being arrested with greater precision. v

The valve z' is provided with a series of clrcumferential grooves or recesses s (see Figure 1) which serve to make it easily rotatable and to balance ythel forces actingv thereon. The said grooves or recesses are closely' spaced from end to end of the valve,

two only being shown in Figure 1 for the sake of clearnes's. They do not communicate with the helical groove 7c but communicatel with thecylinder b by the ports It so that practically the whole of the exterior ofthe valve is under the pressure of the iiuid within the ends ofthe working cylinder b.

The side pressure exerted through the ports h on the valve is therefore balanced or neutralized. The axial width of the grooves s is less than the axial length of the piston so Fthat the grooves ldo not in any way disturb pressures at the opposite ends of the cylinder orinterfere with the operation of the motor and the piston a-would remain stationary if the said pressures balanced.4 If some of the ports k be put in communication with the exhaust by the helical groove k, as shown to an enlarged scalein'Figure 3, then assuming that the exhausting ports are to the right ofthe piston in Figure 1, the said iston will move to the'rightunder the unba anced pressure on its left side. Such unbalanced pressure acting through the piston rod can perform any desired external work. When, however, the piston a has movedY to a position in which it commences to uncover exhausting ports h at its left side, the piston comes to rest for the excess or unbalanced pressure on the piston is released through the uncovered exhaust-ing port. ln Figure 3, it will be seen that parts of three ports are uncovered at one side of the piston and parts of two at the other side. rlhe relation between the area of port uncovered at the opposite sides of the piston depends upon the amount ot' unbalanced pressure to be released to allow the piston to remain Stationary.`

By the employment o t' the single helical groove c in combinationwith the row ot closely spaced ports h and the recesses fr in the piston, an exceedingly line or sensitive control of the position of the piston a can be effected for there is in effect a continuous exhausting' passage due to the bridging of the ports b v the recesses r.l

ln the arrangement shown in cross sectional elevation in Figure t, two cylinders with their pistons-al are disposed on the opposite sides of the valve cylinder and there are two rows ot ports L and two helical grooves it", one for each cylinder L. `With this construction, one valve z' with its two helical grooves serves for two working cylinders. It will be understood that more than two working cylinders with theirreciprocating pistons may be disposed around a common valve cylinder.

ln the construction shown in Figiues 5 and 6, the cylinder in which the piston a works itself constitutes the rotar valve c" and has a series of closely space erts h arranged in a helix. At one end t e valve has ports c therethrough tor the passage of the pressure Huid from the pump. ln combination with the rotary valve z" is arranged a straight groove or recess lc communicating with the exhaust pipe m by the ports n. lt will be seen that the positions of the ports of the helix L which communicate with the straight groove or recess 7c and so 'withv the exhaust pipe m Serves, as in the previously described constructions, to determlne the position at which the piston ay will come to rest. therein at its opposite sides. The grooves s. in the cylinder I) and the annular space behind the ports 'v' serve to float the valve z" and facilitate its rotary movement.

Referrlng to Figure 7, thel valve 2' is adapted to have a longitudinal movement imparted to it to bring a narrow slot orl aperture 7a2 therein into a position to put any desired section of the ports h2 into communication with the exhaust port m. ope-ration of this form of. motor or engine 1s, howeven' similar to .that of the forms previouslyedescribed. The slot or aperture 7c? may replaced by a circumferential recess around the valve 2.

lt will tie-understood that by slowly roiating the valve z' of the formsshown in Figures 1 to G, or reciproca-ting the similar The. piston has recesses r- The ineens@ valve of the form of construction shown in Figure 7, the piston a can be 'caused to have a continuous rcciprocatory 'movement Instead of employing a double acting cylinder b and piston a, twin opposed cylinders and rams which are the mechanical equivalent thereot' may be employed.

The extent or area of the ports l, which at any time register with the discharge groove lc, and are thus put into communication with the exhaust lmi., is constant in length and traversible from end to end ot' the cylinder b and will, tor convenience, be hereinafter termed the movable discharge area.

lWhen the piston a has taken up a position of equilibrium, the length of the piston surface which may be recessed or angled as at r as before described forms an element ot the movable discharge area regulating the amount of exhaust from each side of the piston. ln the carrying out of the invention, the length -ot' the movable discharge area will be made greater than equal to or smaller than the length of the piston according to the nature of the pressure supply which entersat the inlets c and d.

When the pressure supply at each inlet is constant as to quantity of fluid passed, the length of the movable discharge port will be greater' than the length of the piston, thus permitting ot a .varying proportion of edective discharge port on each sideA of the piston.

When the pressure supply at each inlet 4is variable as to quantity passed with a limvholding pressures desired when the piston has taken up a position of equilibrium under an external load.

.lWhen the pressure supply at each inlet is variable as to quantity passed with a liin-y itedmaximum pressure value at which delivery stops, and a suitable automatic device of known form is incorporated shutting 0H ics i the pressure inlet towards which the movable discharge port is about to be moved, the length of the movable discharge port will be equal to or smaller of the piston, and .in this case no flow of fluid will occur when the piston has taken up a position of equilibrium wholly covering the discharge port.

The means for obtaining these different natures ofpressure supply do not form part oflthe present invention.

The improved apparatus is generally a-pplicable where a variable motlon which is than the length steady and continuous is required, as for example, in the actuation or control of presses, guns and gun mountlngs; for brakes for vehicles and inachmery, ships said piston, with means for applying pressure to the opposite sides of said piston, an exhaust connection, and a valve controlling communication between the opposite sides of the said piston and the exhaust connection, the said valve comprising three elements. one having a movable discharge area therein, a second element having a fixed discharge area, one of said two last named elements being the cylinder aforesaid, one of said discharge areas consisting of a row of closely spaced ports extending the full length of the cylinder, and the third element consisting of the piston aforesaid, which automatically regulates the size of the discharge area available at its opposite sides when equilibrium is established, the recesses in said piston lying contiguous to and being adapted to bridge over the spaces between the spaced ports.

2. In a fluid pressure'motor or engine,

in combination, a piston, a cylinder for said piston, means for applying pressure to the opposite sidesof said piston, an exhaust connection, and a valve controlling communication between theopposite sides of'sad piston and the exhaust connection, the said valve comprising three elements, one being the piston aforesaidthe second having a fixed single channel or groove n therein and the third a single helical row of closely spaced ports therein, one of said two last named elements being the cylinder` aforesaid, the third element being rotatable to bring any portion of said row ofjports into communication .With'said channel or groove, said channel or groove having permanent communication with the exhaust connection. y

3. In a fluid pressure motor or engine, a piston, a cylinder for said piston, means for applying fluid pressure to the opposite sides of the piston, a movable sleeve between said cylinder and piston, said sleeve having a helix of closely spaced ports, means for turning said sleeve, said cylinder having a single channel in the wall thereof, exhausting means, and means placing said channel in communication with the exhausting means.

4. A fluid pressure motor as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the cylinder is provided with grooves closed at their opposite ends and arranged around the sleeve` and to which` pressure fluid from the interior of the sleeve gains access through the helix of the closely spaced ports.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOKKITCHEN. 

